Lately, we’re hearing that women especially need to work on improving their muscle strength. Resistance training (such as lifting weights) tones muscles and can significantly lessen women’s risks of osteoporosis and falls. Resistance training can also improve overall wellbeing. Aerobic exercise is also needed to keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. But who’s got the time to do both? Many women have a difficult time getting to the gym at all, let alone doing longer workouts. Can a shorter aerobic workout combined with some resistance training provide adequate health benefits?
Scientists in Finland did this study to measure the effects of adding resistance training to a shortened aerobic workout. (The aerobic workout was 25 minutes long, rather than the traditional 40 minutes.) Researchers divided 35 women into four groups. The control group did nothing more than their usual day-to-day activities. The second group did 25 minutes of step aerobics. The third group did a 40-minute step aerobic workout. The fourth group did 25 minutes of step aerobics plus resistance training exercises.
The three exercising groups worked out three days a week for 12 weeks. Women in the fourth group also did two to three sets of ten repetitions of ten different exercises for both the upper and lower body. The resistance training was done with varying strengths of elastic bands. The researchers felt the elastic bands more closely mimicked weightlifting than the small hand weights that are typically used in step classes.
Before and after the 12 weeks of exercise, researchers did a thorough measurement of muscle strength and power, body fat, muscle size, and lung and heart fitness. The control group had absolutely no changes in their body composition or fitness levels. All the exercising groups showed some improvement in heart and lung conditioning, body fat, and lower-body muscle strength. However, the resistance training group showed more improvement in muscle mass and power, especially of the upper body, when compared to the other exercise groups. Their heart and lung fitness also improved more. This was somewhat surprising given the shorter aerobics time.
Other studies have shown some problems with the body’s ability to adapt to a combination training program such as this. These studies suggest that women are more likely to injure their muscles. In this study, no adaptation problems were noted. The authors conclude that it is okay to combine types of exercise as long as there is adequate rest time between exercises. In this study, exercisers were required to rest for one to two minutes between each set of resistance exercises. Combining a shorter aerobic program with some resistance training may help women get the most out of their exercise program.